"x 













vV>^r. 



'^^ -^ 



:3^' 



K\ 






^^^^^ 



-I ^ 












^^A V^ 



.-Jv 






/ 



^.♦^ 



ii^* 



OF THE FIRST SETTLEMENT 



OF THE 



BY THE GERMANS : 



-mg an Answer to a Circular Letter, aMressed to the Author^ 
by "• Tilt Historical and Philosophical Societij 
of the State of JYew- York:' 



By JOHN M. BROWR 



SCHOHAm^*F 
PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR,' El L, COTHBERT. 



•• »......« 




1823. 


jk 


'. ■ ■■■, -j,-- 




' 


• \ 


^ 


•»• 







^\.-pL 



^DVERTISEMEJVT. 
TTIE Jufhor begs leave to submit the foHoiving pages to the 
J^iblic, all written frnm his own memory ; baing well aware that 
it cannot, in every instance be perfertly correct. But finding that 
so valuable a part of history as the 'emigration of the Genians 
fiom Germany — their journey — arrival at JSew- York, and their 
settlement and improvement of Schoharie would be lost, time 
u earing out memory, therefore hoping and expecting that future 
generations yet to come, may be benefitted by his labour, is the 
mdcht wish of your humble servant, 

jOHjsr M BHonjv. 

Carlisle^ Schoharie County, November 2\Jthy 1S23. 



[is^tm^s 



RESPECTED DEAR FRIEND, 

VKRY unexpected I received your Circular Let- 
ter, pointedly directed^to me I took on myself lo answer 
the compliment : but *\vith pain and reluctance I take up 
my pen to 'inswer your request— not because I have been 
an idle observer or spectator of the revolutions of times 
and events; neither of that 1 have forgotten what I knew, 
heard or seen, or has in any wise tome to my view or 
comprehension — but on account of not being a scholar, 
and that I never had an opportunity of readnig a geogra- 
phy in my life; ^that perhaps! take not the right mean- 
(ing of the request, and so make an answer to no purpose, 
I as also that my nature, through the poverty of my parents, 
is not cultivated lo any promising degree. 

I was born at the Blue Mountain, Ulster County, m the 
year of our Lord, 1745, November 5th, Old Style; lost 
my mother at 18 motjths old, then ?»rought up by my gr ,nd- 
father, Matthew Junck, at West Camp, so called, be<'ause 
the first Germans that came over, sent by Queen Anne to 
America, in the year 1712, encamped, and wintered in 
ground huts the winter ensuing. My grandfather used to 
teach a German School three or four months every winter, 
Until the year 1752, then quit, when I was seven years old. 
He was tlie first that taught school among all the Germans 
in America. He was a very perfect good reader and sing- 
er in the German Low Dutch and Knglish, but a very poor 
writer, and knew no arithmetic at all. Hence I date all 
my education 1 ever had. 

My father re-married this year at Schoharie, to a widow 
who owned a small property of ten acres of land, and a- 
bout £110 in money ; sat up his trade of a Wheelwright. 
He was the first that followed that business in all Scho- 
harie, and also made the first Cider-press in the whole 






town, being now in the year 1753. Schools were then 
principally taught in the German and Low Dutch. 

In the year J757, then in the French war, my father 
fetched me up to Schoharie and put me to his trade ; with 
whom I continually lived, and folloued his profession un- 
til I was twenty-four years old. Schools now began al- 
ternately to be introduced in English. 

Schoharie then was a part of the county of Alhany, m(u- 
ated thirty-six miles to the west, without even a privilege 
of a Supervisor, until at or ahout tfie year 1765 The su- 
pervisor had to be chosen in Alhany, and to be a resident 
of the Corporation until this tinie. 

Schoharie then contained (note in the year 1752, but 
101 houses, making up about 125 families. The greatest 
number Germans of those aforesaid, and about one third 
Low Dutch from Schenectady and Normanskill ; alto- 
gether by a guess, about 875 souls ;) ^lich same ground 
iiow occupies 4638 electors, and 19.323 people, amazing 
increase ! At that time the Indians consisted in about a 
quarter of the whole population. They were then out- 
laws ; naturally inclined to revenge and murder against 
the white people and among themselyrs. A K*-quaw shot & 
killed one a step- father of Johannes Acker, on a Sunday, 
when returning from meeting. They contirmed in that 
practice until the commencement of the Revolutionary 
war: In my time I saw one Wilham, a son of Jan, stab 
and kill another at the house of David Becker in Wisers- 
dorp. After this, another stabbed and killed a negro- 
man, a drummer to Capt. Van Arnein's company, at the 
Hclleberg, at the house of Isaac Cole, on a training day : 
And the vVry same Indian very shortly after, stabbed and 
jiilled an Indian in Cobleskill, in the house of George 
Ferster, on the place where Lambert Lawyer now lives. 
This was done at the time I lived where I now do. 

Scl'oharie, so called by an Indian name, from a creek 
by the Indians called Skochalie, which runs trom east to 
uest, and falls into the Schoharie Rirer at a place former- 
ly called Wisersdorp, (now the town of Middleburgh,) 
then down north, till it falls in the Mohawk River, at Fort 
Hunter, now called Caghnawaga, 



Schoharie was first inhabited by a French Indian prig- 
pner; married to a Mohawk Squaw. His name was Kar-* 
ijrondorite, whose father-fh law sent him there, and gave 
him land, for fear that the Mohauk Indians would kill 
him when they got drunk, and gave him land, as the Mo- 
hawk bore a arreat enmity to the Frei>ch. 

Other Indians, Mohawk, Mohegan, Discarora, Dela- 
ware, and Onidas, flocked to him, so that he increased to 
a nation to about three hundred strong, and established 
chiefs among them; who then pretended to be the own- 
ers of all that vast territory of land, and granted convey- 
ances thereof 

Queen Anne having intended to settle America, sent 
; her agent to purchase land from the natives ; for which 
purpose she sent messQngers to Germany, to invite people 
to come over and^ttle, and promised that they should 
have the land thl^ possessed, free. In consequence 
whereof, manv caiiic over ; and a purchase was made, be- 
jginning near little Schoharie creek, at high water mark 
jof the b]<r Schoharie River, and at an oak stump, burned 
i^ut hollow by ihe Indians to serve for stamping their corn ; 
where a stone heap was erected which stands to this day. 
The Indian seal of a Turtle and a Snake was cu^ on the 
(Stump, (here I must digress a little, and mention that the 
Is^id stump or stamp block, served the Germans for their 
|fii St grist-mill,) from thence down to the north, including 
,aH the low land on both sides of the creek, for the space 
pi about eight miles, containing 20,000 acres. 
I These Indians claimed the right of a diflferent nation : 
jas they had now become a mixture of several nations, 
plaimed all the adjoining wild land about Schoharie — be- 
an to sell from tract to tract, until nearly at, or about trie 
**ar 1763 or 64, when they got to be interrupted by the 
Johawk nation, who insisted and proved, by the hearsay 
f their forefathers^ that they had no right to any more 
and ; as was given to Karigh Ondonte's wife, which was 
o be measured by the planting of so much corn, as a 
quaw could hold in her petticoat; by our measure reck- 
ued about a skipple. 



After this time the Mohawk nation claimed all the land 
<i!l unio tfie Susquefianriah River, acid down the river as 
far as a creek called the Scenevers creek ; so called fjom 
the name of an Indian who used to la^ and hunt there, and 
for the very remaHkahle and untiatural circumstance that 
happened, namely : — he and his father lay on a hunt there, 
aiid a deep snow fell ; they concluded to return lo Scho- 
harie — be^afi their march, and travelled one day — ihey 
kindled their fire and slept — the next morning started a- 
gain : the old man got tired after travelling a while — re- 
turned hack again — his son missing his father, returned 
also — finding his father at the place they had slept, had 
kindled the fire again, setting and wartning himself^ — took 
his hatchet, and knocked him on the head, which caused 
his death : after which he buried him, as he said, under 
the snow. On this Scenevers cr^ekis now tlie town of 
Woostcr, belonging to the county ofJp&ego 

The Mohawk Indians after estabhshing their claims, 
began to make several large sales thereof, to Sir William 
Johnson and others, until all was sold, their castles, settle- 
ments and improvements only excepted 

These Indians were of a loyal disposition, nnd asssratodi 
Great Britain by all possible meane, to conquer Canada m 
the last F'rench war, and continued so. In the year 1775, 
they made it fullj' appear that they were loyal ; they pro- 
ved a displeasure to our revoluticnary war — called it a 
rebellion and disobedience to their King and Father. 

At this time an Indian lr<^aty was called of all the Six 
Nations, to be held at the German Flats ; the very place 
where the Court-H( use of the county of Herkimer now 
stands. Gen. Philip S'chuyler was the commissioner for 
the convention ot America, delegated with full power to 
settle an amicable treaty with the Six Nations ; wherein 
it was agreed and particularly stipulated, that the Indians 
should keep at peace, and not meddle with the controver- 
sy. After being three weeks well fed, and receiving ma- 
ny great presents, they retired home: — almost at their ar- 
rival, they found the King's agents, sowing tearse amongst 
them namely, Tory seed. They broke the treaty, and 



. • I ih^ X^rWUh excepting only a few: the Oneida tribe 
rrah-c'r .?:«•;: iu^uratj^nd'scne of ihem joined the 



American forces 



At hi treaty a very remarkable instance took place, 
name y the yellow fever broke oat amongst the Iru bans, 
a "ckness tl/ey never saw nor were «cq-"if.;» ^^^ ^^^ 
fore and which destroyed a great mauv. Tlie Harigli 
Olnte tribe, or Schoharie Indians, -^^ w'-J * ^^ 
best acauainted, were hereby almost extermumted. 1 he 
few thaT remained, being naturally very superstUious 
apposed that the Great Spi.it was mad with them for not 
ioining their King ; so joined the Tones and went to Can- 
ida "rom wher.ce the/often returned, together w.th other 
Indians-made incursions on our front.ers-kdled, mur- 
dered, scalped, burnt and took prisoners ; even the.r for- 
mer neighbors uith whom they were well acquainted, so 
that there were but tew houses left withm forty miles of 

^^Sh?ce I have now so far digressed, I think it not at all 
amiss, here to relate some remarkable occurrences, name- 
ly :-That the first Indian that was killed in our revolu- 
tionary war, was by Lieut. Jacob Porst, of CoMeskill.- 
The Inaian's name was Oness Yaap, a mixed offspring ot 
the Karigh Ondonte tribe. Here I will relate the partic- 
ular circumstances in detail. 

On the first day ot June or July in the year 177b, my 
brother, Gapt. Christian Brown, sent his Lieut. Jacob 
Borstand brother .Joseph Borst, on a scut down to the 
Scenevers creek alorementioned, to t'-e Susquehannah 
river. And as they there discovered nothing, returned 
bark as far as the upper branch of the Ccbleskill creek, 
where they were first alarmed by something like the yell 
ot an owl, yet somewhat ditr-rent; but immediately saw 
two Indians jumping up the bank of the creek, and mak- 
ing tow irds them. Lieut. Borst immpdi^tely took a tree, 
his brother being about fifteen paces behind. The two 
JU.diansdirt-ctIv spread, so that no tree would shelter him; 
if It did from the one, it would expor-e him to the other.— 
He resolved to stand fr- e and wait for them to come up ; 
coiibequently they came, one against liim, tne other a- 



8 

gainst his brother, making gr^at exclamations afirains! 
them tor being in the woods, and so shoot Indians u ho did 
them no harm : Joseph Borst rephed, that they meant not 
to shoot Indians that would not si oot ihem. B} this time 
Hansyerry, a son of Seth, (ote of the K^rio^h Ondo ite 
Chiefs.) came up to him, seized the muzzle of his gun^ 
gave it a twitch, and knocked open the pan, saying the?.e 
words — '* Yo yenery its hatste," signifying, iis good if this 
begowe. Borst, with ready presence ol mind, and good 
resolntion, dropped his own Jiun, and clinched the Indmn's 
piece — took hold and twisted the flint out of the cock, and 
then repled in Mohawk — " Yo yenery it sagat," that is to 
say, It is good that this is just so. On this, the Indian 
clinched Borst with a linn-like fury. Borst, not in the 
least daunted, but with good resolution, also took a rash 
hold, gave a hearty Indian whoop, which took away half 
of the Itjdian's strength, and soon brought him down on 
his knees. At this time a shot fell behind his bick ; the 
Indian almost naked, striving to exCricate himself from 
Borst's hands, now slipt loose, run ofl, leaving his gun in 
the lodge. Lieut. Borst by this time had finislied the best 
part of his business with the other Indian ; ran up to his 
brother and picked up his gun ; shut the pan, and aimed 
at the Indian now in full run, and snapped ; so HansyerrV 
escaped at this time. But in a year and a half after, was 
killed with his own axe, together with others, and a broth- 
er of his, nf raed Hanelie, severely wounded, by one Mr. 
Sawyer and Mr. Cowley, whom they had taken prisoners 
at Harpersfield ; and were about to carry them prisoners 
to Niagara : who. on the eleventh night arose against their 
masters, killed three and wounded a fourth, who run off; 
so they made their escape, and returned back in sixteen 
days. 

Lieut. Borst now also stood in every way exposed. — ■ 
Oness Yaap aforesaid, came up and demanded him to sur- 
render prisoner; he made one step back, and with this 
cocked his firelock, and replied, ' Yaghte' ; which is to 
say, No — then drew his trigger, shot him through the body 
and broke his back bone : so loft him lay and made off. 
On this very spot, on the next day, the first battle wa& 



iought in our revolutionary war against the Indians, by 
Capt Brown, with iwenty-lwo of his militia, and a Conti- 
nental Lieutenant, whose name, I am sorry, I never was 
acquainted with, together with thirty Continentals. The 
first had five killed and three wounded ; the latter had rune 
killed, five wounded, and two missing, among the first be- 
ii.iT their valuable offirer. This happened one day he- 
io?e the massacre of VVyomiiig. The Indians, by their 
own account 450 strong, killed and destroyed all the cat- 
tie and horses they could not easily t^ke along— burned 
every building in their reach — remained one day and two 
nights in the adjoining woods, to dress thoir wounded and 
pack up their provision and plunder, and so went off. 

No* I must return to the very history of Schoharie. 

Queen Anne had caused her proclamation to be carried 
through all Germany, inviting people to come over to set- 
tle the New World, promising there to give them lands 
o-ratis ; and that the} should all be free, or have and enjoy 
freedom. O ! liberty was sweet : that they like Abraham 
of old, left their fathers, friends and relations ; and in the 
year 1710, on New-Year's day, started for the unknown 
land : v\ent down the river Rhine, where they were pro- 
vided wiih shipping to Holland: from thence to England, 
and there provided, so went on to America. They had 
a very tedious voyage : a great many died, and the re- 
mainder landed at New-York, in the year 1712, on the 
1 llh day of June, after having been one year, five months, 
^nd several daysron their journey. 

New-York then went by the name of iMonader>, so called 
by the Hollanders. They w^re then sent up Hudson's 
river, to East and West Camp, so called, because the first 
Germans encamped and wintered there in ground and log 
huls. From thence broke up in the next spring, and went 
up to Albany, then called Fort Orange. The city, or ra- 
ther village, was called the Foyck, but by the Indians was 
called Schogneghtaday, the most of the whole being In- 
dian traders, and altogether of the Low Dutch. From 
thence, being provided by order of Queen Anne, with 
provisions and tools on their backs, started and travelled 



10 



Icllanf " '"'" P-^"" '""' '^y^' ■'<"•-« '!-r -ached 
Here it will be well to relate, that on the tliir.I ,tav 

fourth day they were in sight of Schoharie!!™,,' Hed 

chlldrl*'""^ l"'^ ^'"'""^ •" *^^' fi'-^^ ^^^k, afler three 
children were born, namely, Johanes Eirhqrf Wllk! 

frw 1 K r u ^^^^ Uwyer. they found the land cood 
and much o the H Us clear. The Indians, who weP^ a'i 
the people they found, hayinj,. shifled, they went to wor'- 
and planted corn, which the? ^ot of the native an In 
work.ngthe ground wi.h the.r broad hoes, they fou,^ a 
potatoe-hke root which they called earth aco7ns a so 
another, they called earth beans, which they cooked or 
roasted, and so served thera for ^ood 

nfth'l'»^''l' "" 'l'^; ^.^'''^''' Sternbergh carried . aplnt 
of wheat along the Indi.n foot path from Schenectady to 
bchoharie ; tjiere sowed or rather planted it over more 
than an acre of grouml, which grew well ; and the next 
year he reaped and thrashed it, and measured ^3 skipple 
out of It This was the first wheat ever raised in Schoha- 
rie; and by about 40 years after, it was reckoned that 
one year in another, they carried 36,000 skipple to Albany 
JNow the new inhabitants soon began to think them- 
selves well off. By their industry, and great fertility of 
the soil, they soon got plenty to eat— wore moggisins— 
bnckskm breeches and j .ckets of leather, which they 
plentifully obtained ,f tr.e [nd.ans. Nine of them owned 
thH tirst horse, which was a gray. But now a new and 
very great ditficilty was felt : they had no grist-mills; no 
te^uns ; no hors-s ; no roads fit (or passage, but Indian 
toot pahs They stanped and also peeled their corn by 
h^^lp of lye. and then cooked it to eat. Their wheat they 
earned to Schenectady to grind, a space of nineteen miles, 



11 



every man about a skipple to his load : sometimes there 
uould CO tNvei.lv in a drove, often men and woiuen togetti- 
er. fills the/ had to do for ihjee or four years, until a 
grist-mill vvas built by one Willara Fox. 

By now, the people bei^an to lhii»k themselves very well 
otr, having plontv io eat, began to have stock-used hor- 
.es-made ihei'r own block sleighs for use at home, and 
wooden shod s!ei;<hs to ^o to Albany ; ^^"t ^new °J no 
britsh collars, (winch were an invention of Scheneclady;) 
made a trip to Albany—back again in five days. I beir 
wa<rons for summer use, were made of blocks sawed oft, ot 
a thick water beach tree, whicli we now call button w^ood 
All was very well now; they had no law to fear, and lull 
as little Gospel to trouble them. But as they dwelt in a 
world of trouble, their peace was of no long direction, U>v 
a new one and a rai-hty great one was born. Ignorance 
mav be said was the mother ; she brought forth twin upon 
twin, so that she damped all hopes of their ever doing u ell 
in Schoharie any more. Some pulled up stakes, iA wtiicti 
the German flats were settled : Otliers went down to the 
Susquehaunah, ar d down to Pennsylvania, by which the 
iMill-Creek in Torpehahen has been peopled. 

Tb^- great evil they saw was this : here I cannot pass 
by, without exposing ibe mighty stupidity and black igno- 
rance of my German brethren, ia order to do justice to 
the truth. Queen Anne supposed that her Germans by 
this time, might be handsomely settled, sent her agent, by 
the name of^NichoUs Bayard, a man wno had lost one 
eye, with full power to give a deed to every man ot what- 
soever land he did possess, provided he made known his 
boundaries. Mr. Bayard was the grandfather of Stephen 
M. Bayard, now living in Albany or Schenectady, with 
whom I have conversed ; and he did yet remember of this 

tiansaction. i u r 

Mr. Bayard came to Schoharie, put up at the house ot 
Hansyerry Smidt, from whence he issued his order, that 
every householder should bring in the boundaries of his 
possession, and receive his deed. But the poor ignorant 
souls, struck like with thunder, supposed it to be a trick, 
to get themselves and children under that hateful yoke ot 



12 



tyrannic land holders, to be again enslaved forever, and 
had now for some years tasted perfect liberty, resolved to 
Kill ttie agent and die iree. 

On the next morning they arose all like one man—sur- 
rounded the house of Smith, some weaponed with anns 
some w'l.h pitch-forks-women with hoes, ond others'w th 
clubs, demanding Mr. Bayard alive or dead : on relus I 
hred sixty balls through the ruof of the house, which was 
all the ammunition they had. Mr. Bayard was well arrn- 
€d with pistols, sometimes fired back,' but did no execu- 
tion JN.ght came on, and they left the house. Mr. Bay- 
ard le t the house, and in dark of the night, travelled 20 
miles to Schenectady : from thence he again sent a mes- 
sage that if any man should appear, and acknowledge 
him to be the King's agent, nith the gift of one ear of 
corn, he so doing shonld have a free deed of Jl his pos- 
session. Mr. Bayard waited for some time, but not one 
did appear. 

Mr. Bayard, no doubt, felt crusty, as he could do noth- 
tng with those fools; went to Albany and sold the whole 
to seven partners I will name such as 1 remember, to 

D /*";. V^^^r?^""' Le^^'s Morris, Mvndert Schnvler, 
eter Vanburg Livingston, and three ot"^hers, who a'fter- 
vards went by the name of the Seven Partners of Scho- 
lane, 

fcchoharie now soon found out that there was a new 
land at the bellows. They were scon called upon take 
eases and to pay rent, or to purchase. Thev refused all. 

he seven paitners seeing they could gain nothing, tho't 
bout trying tne law: sent their Sheriff, by the name of 
idams, to apprehend the most principal men and ring- 
Naders of the whole, to bring them to terms of justice.— 
.ut when the Sheriff began to meddle wi>h the first man, 

mob of women rose, of which Magdalene Zee was cap- 
iin. He was knocked down, and dragged through every 
ud-pool in the street ; then hung oifa rail and carried 
ur miles, thrown down on a bri fge, where the captain 
ok a stake out of the fence, and struck him in the side, 
at she broke two of his ribs, and lo^^t one eve ; then she 
ssed in his face, let him lie and went ofT. 



13 



Poor Adams, bruised nnd woiinded as he was, had no 
other uay left, but to help himself as well as he was able ; 
made himself uj> and made for Albany : on the third day 
arrived at the Veneber^h, and from the.,ce he was fetched 
wTth a wagon to Albany. Thus ended this affray. I have 
mvself seen this very Adams, pnd have the relation frorn 
hi; own mouth, together with the confirmation of several 
of the old Schoh^jrie people. 

After this circumstance, the Schoharie people got ver} 
shv to o-o to Albany— made the practice to send their 
wives for salt, or not to enter Albany but on Sundays, 
and then out again. This the seven partners well obser- 
ved, held themselves quiet, till after a whde got them tame, 
so that they supposed all was now again at rest, when at 
a time, a pretty good drove happened to come down after 
salt The seven partners had their sher.fl and posse rea- 
dy, took every one of them, and clapped them to jail.— 
The most notorious were put in the dungeon, among whom 
was young ('onradt Wiser. . „ o . i • 

This news like lightning, went through all Scnohane, 
and alarmed them to the highest degree ; and im their 
rage resolved to delegate old Mr. Conradt Wiser to Eng- 
land, to obtain redress for their grievances, and to have 
amends made for their frequent and several abuses, also 
praying the King for future safe protection. Young Con- 
radt VViser soon got tired of his dungeon, resolved to a- 
gree to take a lease and pay rent ; so did all the rest that 
were in jail. But before they were permitted to leave 
their confinement, they were compelled to witness, swear 
and sign the whole of their conduct and transaction in the 
cause of Adams and Bayard. This done, they were per- 
mitted to depart home in peace, bewailing tlieir misery as 
they went, whilst the seven partners carefully, and with 
all convenient speed made the whole business known to 
King and Parliament. 

Old Conradt Wiser now arrived at England with his 
petition, and went to lay it before the King and Parliament, 
in order to solicit the desired redress. But Oh ! how was 
he there mortified, when he found the King and Parlia- 
ment fully informed, from Bayard's mission down to the 



14 

cruel and unlawful dealing with ihe King's officer, the 
High Sheriff, Mr. Adams. The consequence was, that the 
Germans of Schoharie, were looked upon ab a pack of 
monstrous outlaws, denying the King's legal authoril)', and 
ought to be treated as such : and old M. Wiser was clap- 
ped into the Tower, where he had to remain one whole 
year, before he got out with permission to return to Amer- 
ica again. 

But for being murderously disappointed and fully beat 
at last, got so embittered against the seven partners, that 
many, together with VViser, conclu led to leave Schoharie, 
in order to get rid of their troublesome company at once 
forever. 

Conradt Wiser after his return, soon persuaded a great 
many to leave Schoharie, and seek an asylum under the 
great William Penn. They marched from Schoharie, a 
southwest direction, for the Susquehannah, with an Indian 
guide, together with their cattle and families, where they 
arrived in a five day's journey, at a place called Cook- 
house. 1 here they made canoes, so rmvigated their fam- 
ilies down by water: their cattle followed by land all a- 
long the shore, until they arrived in Pennsylvania, at a 
place called Tolpelrahen. There they all settled on a 
large brook, called in the German Muehiback, in the Kng- 
lish Milbrook, where some of their descendants dwell un- 
to this day, Here I must remark a curious instance, name- 
ly : twelve of their horses run away, and in 18 months af- 
ter, ten of them arrived in good health and strength in 
Schoharie, a distance no less than 300 miles. 

By this time the people had learnt to buy their land of 
the seven partners peaceably; but began to get a little 
wiser: next made Indian purchases and took Indian deeds 
for large tracts, then went to the governor and council to 
obtain their letters patent. The governor and council 
who understood themselves, very well too, were not apt 
to grant any patents, before they had secured a good slice 
to themselves, or some of their friends. 

At or about the year 1759, Sir William Johnson became 
the King's Jack or agent, with full powers, not to permit 
an Indian purchase to be legal, unless it was made in his 



15 

presence and wi<h his approbation, who would always 
take care iiM to be fool hitriself, commonly made himself 
sure of the first cut; and ifyoa coidd not make him your 
friend, the Indians wouM sell you no land at all. 

From titis time, wild land laid out in lots, would sell 
from four to twenty sliillings an acre, accorling to quality 
or conve jience of roads or nearness of settlement. Until 
the y^MT 1786, ii j^jot up to five dollars an acre ; and by 
1817, it Will commmd on an average, from ten dollars up 
to twenty-five. This must be understood of the upland 
only ; whereas the fl «ts or lowlands of Queen Anne, first 
mentioned, will "ell on an average from one hundred to 
one hundre 1 and filty dollars. 

Now I must take notice of the great Schoharie creek, 
wiiich sprnigs out of a bwamp, south of Schoharie, back 
in the Hlue Vlountains, and runs most northerly, until it 
empties in the Mohawk river at Fort Hunter, about eighty 
or ninety miles from the place where it first begins It 
contains the most and hest flats and intervals in this state, 
periiaps the great Genessee river might be excepted. — 
Here are fl ds uiibroketi, of fourteen hundred acres of low 
laud. It is generally speaking, a grain country, more so 
than a grass country. 

I shall now take notice of some of the waters feeding 
the Schoharie creek, in order to mention of waters, mines 
and miner;»ls; as also of the prospects I hare heard of, 
together with the products I have seen. 

And fir^t, I shall begin in the south with Red creek, run* 
ning from east to west, through a place called Batavia, I 
suppose now a town of some name or other, in the county 
of Green, on which, it was supposed about sixty years a- 
go, that there was a gold mine in a rock; consequently, a 
srnail inr>i<>:nificant company of old countrymen undertook 
to dig ; andas they were a blasting, they came on a run of 
water (lridlir;g from the rock and dried by the sun, ap- 
peared to he the best Spanish green. Now a division 
came between tliem : s:^me were for following the wafer, 
and others for blasting deeper. Tlie consequence was, 
that t!ie party for lollovving the waier, broke off. The 
other party kept the work untd they got through the rock, 



16 

where they found nothing but low land soil ; there it en- 
ded, and the last French war begun. This relation I have 
personal]) of one of the workmen. 

Next 1 shrdl take notice oi Plattekill, just below what 
was called Dices Manner, now in the town of Bristol, 
where there is an inexhaustible quarr}^ of stone, for grind- 
stone ; and hundreds are made there now, equal to any 
imported. 

Thirdly. I shall mention Minekill and Mine patent, go 
called, because the Indians would sometimes bring silver 
ore from there. However, they would never discover the 
very spot where they got it, as also because ccippcr ore 
was tljere found : for that reason a patent of 5,000 acres 
was taken to cover this ground. Samples of this copper 
ore, may be seen at the Court-House, with Judge Bouck 
at this day. 

On the west side of the Schoharie creek, nearly oppo- 
site the Court-House, at the beginning of the revolutionary 
war, a mine was opened by one Mr. Stout, a chemister, of 
Hessian Castle, under the superintendence of the Provin- 
cial Congress, in ordei to make brimstone; who made 
1700 weight in a winter. He also made what they call 
English salt, out of a kind of black slate, which he found 
there in abundance. Some say that he made a great ma- 
ny cf cur old sort of coppers ; but for this I have no proof. 

From hence proceeds a rocky and ledgy country, for 
several miles backwards, and ends in and about the town 
ol Warren, in Herk»mer county ; all in a distaiice from 
twelve to twenty miles, south of the Mohawk River. The 
stones are chiefly lime, fire stone, and a kind of a silvery 
black slate. 

In the town of Carlisle, ten miles west from the Scho- 
harie creek, v\ herein I now reside, and have lived these 
forty-five years, are brimstone waters; the spring mny be 
smelt tor 'miles distant. The great brimstone spring in 
the town of Sharon, and brimstone hill in Cherry- Valley, 
are remarkable for this. In this town, are also found 
samples of plaster of Paris, and there are also discovered 
signs of sea coal. It is also said, that some of our Bear 
swamps contain as good Marl and Turi, as any in Ireland. 



17 

Schoharie creek cannot afford any profitable water nav- 
igation, but affords many good places for water machine- 
ry, and is very scant of tish. I have now gone through as 
far as I understood, the Circular Letter, and shall now dis- 
miss the subject, well knowing it merits no great praise. 
If any be bettered, and if any be benfitted by my infor- 
mation, it shall suffice. Finally, I have my reward, and 
let it go for what it will fetch. 

Postscript'^ With this request, that if ever any should 
come to print, that some better hand should put it in a 
better dress, as to grammar and phraseology. As to the 
facts herein contained, they are plain in my memory and 
knowledge. Dnce more finally, 1 have taken no time to 
make corrections. 

I am, with much esteem, 

Dear Sir, your most 

obedient humble servant. 

(Signed.) JOHN M. BROWN. 

To Mr. De Witt Clinton. 

Carlisle^ County of Schoharie^ March IQth, 1816, 



May \^lh> Since the above was finished, it is almost reduced to a certsinty, that 
there is and must be, an inexhaustible bed of iStone Coal m ihif town, in ihe place 
called New Rhio'-beck, where (h^re is a veiy remarkable high and round hill sepa- 
rate from all strings ol hills, and can bt fe< n ever al! our mountains, and by the In- 
dians talltd Ovpelus Sowlus. The meaning I do not understand. 

It f.ny panif uUrs of some heads- s^h uld be desired, I hall have no objection to give 
the exp.auati'in that I am capable of, being alive and well. I -hall cntinue now to 
relate the reasons ol- some old occurreme?, and names of Ihe county ofSthhwrie. It 
must then be remarked, ihat ihe Germans, when 'eltlirig, settled al' in towns, which ia 
Vheif language wa? called <i D )r/r, a. d i" no more hut a compact (aimer's settlement, 
distinguished from a villnge, whiih they call a Fiekiien, in distinction from an inccr. 
poratea city, whi< h they cail a feh.di. 

Now these towns were all named after their several list men, as tliey were by them cal- 
led, to wil ; Conradl Wiser, Hai tipan Wmtekker, J(;hai es George Soiidt William tox, 
Ellas Garlat k, and John Henric h Kerierskeriu These list men, were each of them, 
furnished with a lis' ol a certain nuinl)eroi men, women ai.d children, and were, in a 
manner, their commissioners Irom ihe Queen, in order to dr^w provision Irom her roy- 
al stores. Tiiese commissioners or raihrr lipt men, conlinued to draw provisions, each 
lor their certain number, whilst they eiicmnped and wintered in ground huts ai Enst 
£nd West Camp ; and continued so till in the 'ping, when they arrived at Albany. — 
Cut alter they weit to Schoharie, 1 did not learn that (liey ever drew any more ; if 
they did, it was probably no more Uian what fh-y could cany on their backs to Scho- 
harie. 

As it is ver3' natural to suppose, that these men, women and < hildren, would keep 
nigh ti their Ij-t men, with those in particular to whose list ihey d:d in partiiular be- 
long, and settle wiih Iheni in a t ity (orm, so thai Ihey nighl be the beller ready to 
ass)-t each olher agamst tht unruly temper of thfir Indian neiihhors, who had now aiier 
u-r^ciueii. kr. setllemeiit with Qujcn Anne, surrend red two of their casHe^ to the Ger- 
mans, & removed to a ihi.d, ahou! a mile ab >ve little i?< hoharie creek, to the west side 
of ihe groat Schoharie creek, lai a great fiat, over which Adam Vroman alterwards took 
a patent !or six liiin(h>d acres, vesied by certain ui. moveable b>u^ . aries ; and when it 
was afterwards surveyed by Uie King's surveyor, it proved to coniain 1400 acres of 
full the be-t lowland in all Schoharie, fiere "ihey now settled all t'.ji.ther; Ihe whole 
Kangh Ondonte tribe. Their Chiefs, thai remained in my lirne, were eih, ilansyer- 
ry, Josep Hanelie, and Aggy Awi er, logfther with iheirSquaws, of the direct lii.e of 
Karigh Ondonte, namely : Lisiqnet, Wawly and Ci'.toline, who always [ eielended (o 
have the exclusive title of (he soil, .n the very best of this tract Ihey sellled ; and King 
George, I suppose, caused a Pi( quet Fort and some Barracks to he built theiein, wh.cii 
was d -ne \.j one young Johauf-s Bei ker, for the sum of eight pounds. IJere (hey 
gave names to (aree particular hilis, namely :— Onisto Graw, Conegena, ano Mohe- 
gan, by which liiey continue to b^; named this diy. 

Conradt Wi.ser. so often named, seltied about two miles lower down than tl is In 
dian setllemeni, wifhin an hundred rods of the stamp block 'T boundiiy ther afier 
raemioaed, (or as the Indians called i(, the high water mark, though it was nevei b. - 
lieved by white men, ti/at (he Indians had seen water there, until the year 1784 and 
1785, when they witnessed tiie (io ofl, which had ri'en lour or live (eet above the mon- 
ument o( (he stump block,) together wit.', ail lho>e belonging to his list. Here now 
(iiey built a farmer's town alter the manner of a city, all in streets. This now was 
Ihe very place where the abuse of Snerifl' Adam? aforesaid, first begun, and was calS- 
ed VVisersdorp, now in (he town o' Miodlebursjh. 

At or aboui iivo milojs lower down lo north, Hartman Wintekkerand his company, 
settled an I IjuiIi their (own in the same lasiiion. And I have heard the old ptoj"ie 
say, (hat thi (own < on-is(ed of sixty -Ce houses. Her" were the fi>st ap|)le tires pJHn- 
ted to an orchard in iDchoharie, by "iiuns V/iihelm Kcmmer, and Ihiii was called iiart, 



20 

man's Dorff. Next down was Brunnendorff, in the English, the town of Springrs, or 
Spring Town, settled chiefly by the men that belonged to Johans Yerry Smidt'* list. 
Here is now the Court and Meeting House, and a village by the name ol Somerville, 
in the town of Schoharie. 

Then adjoining Hansyerry Smith, settled together with the remainder of the ^>ec- 
ple, remaining of his list. He had the best house in the town, which was Ihaiched with 
straw, and at the time when the mob rose against Mr. Bayard, whereof pariirular 
mention has been made before. Here is nothing more to observe, but on the low 
land was an Indian village and burying ground, o/ which I never saw any thing wor- 
thy of remark. This was called Schmit's Dotff. 

Next did William Fox settle together with the men of his list. Here a creek comes 
down from the town of Bern, and runs west till it here falls in the Schoharie creek, 
and takes his name Foxen Kill, and is a stream on which a good deal of business is 
done by water ; together called Foxendorff. 

Then next did Elias Garlock settle together with the men of his list. Here was an 
Indian castle, though on the west side of the Schoharie creek, in which Lambert 
Sternbergh raised the first wheat that was ever faised in Schoharie. The mighty in- 
crease as mentioned before, will be doubtful perhaps, to every reader ; yet my inform- 
ers were many, and of the most credible characters in Schoharie : and here it was cal- 
led Gerbach's Dorff. 

And lastly, did John Peter Kniskern settle together with the men of his list ; and 
he is the onU one of all the list men, whose offspring remained in his town to this day. 
And this wa? called Kniskern's Dorff. Opposite to this town, Cobleskill creek falls 
in the great Schoharie creek, so called after the name of a certain man who cleared a 
spot at the outlet, under pretence of building a mill Ihreon, but never was brought to 
pass ; bit by the Indians was called Ostgavawge. Up this creek, are fouii'l veiiis of 
brimstone ore, running through the rocks in the bottom of the creek. Further up lies 
the town, called by the same name. This creek first springe in the highest ground in 
the t3wn of Wooster, between Schoharie and the Susquehannah. At this same place, 
where the Scenevers creek before made mention of, springs and runs to the southwest 
and empties i^to the Susquehannah river. 

This Cobleskill creek in the town of the same name, is fed by another stream or 
creek, springing at East Hill, in the town of Cherry- Valley, and runs the whole lcnp<K 
through the town of New Dorlach, formerly so called from the name of the place, the 
first four settlers came from in Werteoberg, Germany, who settled there in the last 
French war. Their names were Earnast Fitz, Michael Merkele, Christopher Merk- 
ele, and Sebastian Frantz, wbo came irom Germmy in the year 1*752 -, but is altered 
by a law of this state, to the name of Sharon. This creek is by us called West creek, 
but by the Indiar.s was called Anuntodawse. The stream is very useful to the town, 
and a good deal of business now doue thereon. These towns are also very productive, 
yet somewhat more frosty than Schoharie. In (his last town toward^' the northwest cor- 
ner, is a strong spring of brimstone waters, so that it may be smelt at miles dislant. 

Towards the north of Cobleskill, and east of Sharon, is the town ot C^ilis-le, in 
which I now live, first called New Rhineheck, afier the name of the place, one of (he 
first settlers came from. Here is the nottd Skeel or Hill, by the Indians called Owe- 
vus Sownes, a name known by all the weslern Indian nations, and is by us supposed to 
contain stone coal. This town contains also Turf and Marl Swamps, together with 
samples of plasters. 

INDIAN WAR«J. 

None occurred in my time. One relation I shall, however, simply mention ; and 
that is of the last dottle between the Mohegan and Mohawk nations, namely : They 
were a fighdng, which nation of them should have the King, or rather, which nation 
should have the preference, as will more tully appear by the relation, to wit :— lioth 
nalions hr.d collected all their strength, and met for a deciding battle at or near Wan- 
ton Island, in Hudson river, immedia(.;ly opposite to East Camp, where (hey fought 
a pitched battle for a whole day. The Mohawks, finding the Mohegans rather too 
tough for them, thought on a stratagem before night ; so took a sudden flight, and 
went up the river, lilfthey came to an Island to which they could wade ; and when 
they were on, they kindled a great number of fires ; cut brushes & laid them all around 
their fires, covering them with their blankets. The Mohegans, in fresh pursuit, alter 



21 

being these fire?, concluded to give them a night attack : and after midnight, waded 
!^er also, and with the greatest care and s-ilence, beset all their fires ; and at a cer- 
tain si£fnal given, poured all the contents o/ their artillery into the blankets and brush* 
es around the fires. They perceivins; very lit:|e motion oi this effect, concluded that 
they had kiled every Mohawk around the fires ; then run up with tomahawks and 
scalping knives in hand, accompanied with their Indian yells, (ell a cutting and slasli- 
iiig on the blankets and bushes. The Mohawks atl this time lay flat on the ground, a 
small distance iroin their tires ; then arose and threw all their murdering contents in 
upon the ^lohegans, killed ihe most of them, and took all the rest prisoners, with 
whom they concluded a treaty This battle and the treaty, forever subjected the 
Mohegans t^ the Mohawks ; aod Ihe Mohawks got the King of their nation, whose 
name was Henry. Thi;- L'dian king lived to a great age ; and if my memory be 
correct, he lost his life in Uedemus Maginness battle, at Lake George, in the French 
war. He was on the British side, when the French attempted to take Fort George 
of Sir William Johnson. 

The articles of this treaty were this : that the Mohawks should have the king and 
that the Mohegans should not have the honour of men, by wearing breeches, and that 
the oldest Mohegans should reverence the Mohawks, from the oldest down to the first 
born baby, by calling it aunt or uncle. Of this article, I am myself lull positive, as 
having seen the operations in a good manner thereof. 
MANUFACTORIES. 
In the year 1765, or thereabouts, (he first piece for fulling, was made in Schoharie 
by George Conrad Rirhtm^'yer, and carried to Esopu' on horseback, to Tohn Dubois' 
tulling mill, to be fulled. Then many began to lollow tiis example, till after the rev- 
olutionary war, fulling mills were erected on the Mohawk river. But at this time, we 
have Manufactories in the county, full as much as we want. 

SCHOOLS. 
Common Schools have been, and are still greatly neglected : though by the des- 
cription of schools I nave given in the first page, they are very much improved, so 
that by this time, it is owing more to parents in the bad or evil bringing up of their 
children, than in the want of schools, on which 1 shall give a comment. 

SEASONS. 
This year, 1816, was the most uncommon season for cold, and even snow on the 
6fh of June, la (rr.ze in almost every month of the year; wheat, pease, and oats, 
however, done very well : con totally cut off, an! buckwheat, very slim. The year . 
l'^56, was the same year, when 0«weeo was taken by the French from the English, 
and came up the mgh-sf to this year I ever saw. However, corn was saved that 
year, and we had five very fruitful seasons lollov/iiig. The years 1784 and '85, were 
the most rem<irkable for overflowings. 

GRAIIV. 
Schoharie in general, is m>ire a grain than a grass country. It is, however, in a 
jreat measure declined. The pea bug had made its appeaianre, as I have been told, 
eighty or Binety years ago, but did depart again. About nineteen years ago, they 
made us another visit, and troubled us for several years, so that we despaired of rais- 
ing peas ; bgt now seem entirely to have left us, and we raise them again about as 
good as ever. The Hetsian fly or insect, also has been here, but never done a gensr- 
al damage, and now tor two years have done us no damage at all. 

FOOT-PATHS, HIGHWAYS, and TURNPIKES. 
In the year 1712, there were no other roads to Schoharie, but five Indian- foot paths, 
the iirst beginning at Catskill, leading up that stream to a large swamp orflye, where 
it springs, about seven miles southeast from the stamp block, or boundary monument 
of Queen Anne's patent before mentioned, the Lonenburs; turnpike now following that 
same rout ;. The Lonenburg turnpike continues on to Wbersdorff through Schoharie, 
C'bleskill, and Sharon, ontii it intersects the Gieat Western Turnpike, in the town 
of Cherry Valley, in the county of Otsego. 

The second, beginning at Albany, led over the Helleberg, which is the most north- 
erly point, or the end of that notable hill called Ihe Blue Mountains. Thence on 
Westerly, until it struck Foxenkill, and thence down the stream into Schoharie, at 
Foxendorff. Th s was the road which the first settlers travelled, when they moved up 
into Schohune. On this route, with but very little variation, went the first Schoharie 



22 



f 



road to Albany. I did not however, learc that any wagon went through (hat wSy, 
betoie the year I75U, or thereabout, when the farmers began, six, eight, or ten to- 
gether, and made one trip to Albany, with a w^gon, in order .o get their rum. pep- 
per and tea, ror harvest. Theyqjjiad no other road for market, until the year i762, 
when a new road was opened from Foxendorff, through Duane-burgh. intersecting the 
old Schenectadj road at the half way house, at Truax's. The third I .dian footpath, 
beginning at Gerlachdorff, leading through Duaneshurgh to Schenectady lowland, 
whereul before is made meotioa of. So with that, fh»-y wtnt sometimes twenty men, 
women and children in a drove, each a grist on his head or on his back, to Schenec- 
tady lowland, to get ground. 

The (ourth took its start from Knisknernsdorff, leading down the Schoharie creek 
to Fort Hunter. This was for the mist part travelled but by the Indians, for relation- 
ship of the Karigh Ondonte family. They also sometimes travelled through Schohar- 
ie to the Susquchaniiah, lo a place called by the Indians, i^wquawge, where the first 
Gospel was taught unto the I dians, by one ElishaGan. 

The last also took its beginning at Kniskernsdorff, and led farther up the river, into 
Canajoharie, and struck just r.;iove Anthony's nose, in order to have a higher cut to 
the upper castle, at or near ttie Little Falls. This foot path ha- been much travelled 
by the Germans ; in the summers for most part, on barefoot : yet in my lime, by (he 
people of Schoharie, and the people of the German Flats, on account m connections, 
friends and relations. This foot path continued in full us" in the year 1762, at a time 
when Sir Wi.liim J ihnson h^ld a general review of the Schenectady Brigade of Mili- 
tia, at the upper cas le, and hdd there an ox roasted whole, the first lever heard or 
saw. 

1817. Now we have sufficient turnpikes in lieu of Indian roads, going through the 
couiiiy of Schoharie, and very likely, more of them than will be able to maintaiti 
themselves, Irom the loll they will raise these many years. 

THE COMMENT and CONCLUSION. 
For this, I shall now (or the first, remark, that there never was a philosophic insti- 
tution, but (or the sole purpose of making men wiser, heiter, and consequently, more 
hap|)y. A great argument, that mankind is, and always was corrupt, and that lh^re 
is a probabiliiy ol mending ; so far this is all very right, and a duty on all to pursue. 
But none brought it to any thing like perfection; neither did any e'er find perlect 
satislaction therein, even (or h'mself at all, as the writings of them, yea tlic very he»t 
of them, when considered, prove to a demonstration. But the philosophy of Jesus 
Christ, ii I may so call it, or the religion of the Son ot God, has infinitely far oveiwent 
them all. His Gospel plan has proved the only one, wherein perfect satisfaction ever 
Was (ound. That word of the great I AM, his revealed will in the Gospel, has bro't 
thi- <o pass like a wonder, so that all the world is indebted that there is any such thing 
in it, as perfect satisfaction at alL 

'I he wise man Solumon, has given us one rule, among a great many others, which, 
if well attended to, wouid gain us a very great march, tov;ards this perfect satisiac- 
tion. The rule is simply this : Teach a ( hild in the way he must go, add when he is 
old, be will not depart from it. Simple and short as it is, it is of an infinite leng"h, 
and extends to all Governois and Legislators, rulers, civil and ecclesiastical, officers 
of all kind-, parents, teachers and guardians ; none are exempt fiom this rnlf. For 
the neglect and inattention o^ this rule, chihlren icrow up in raw nature, totally uncul- 
tivated, and iroin the next society, as surely they must. Well, if Solomon be correct, 
as WH have no d )ubt hut he is, irom whence have we to expect, or ever have reason 
to expect, that (uture generations shall be better, or become more happy than the 
pnseni? Perhaps I might h^re get the answf r of one of their blind philosophers, who 
wrote and said, that the com.non law of the and, was the perfect rule of hajipiness. 
Ay, but ii the way the law should go, or rather those that execute il, has never been 
br' ut^ht to tht ir si<ht, you will certainly fail. 

Weli, say they then, we will go to th- Gospel. Very right, Messrs. But do you 
know what the Gospel is, or where to find it, since you never learned nor cared about 
it.'' Well, say you then, we shall go to our Gospel ministers, teachers and school 
masters. Truly, very well again ; but shouil it prove true what the same wi-e man 
savs in anoiher placf", to wit : The labour of the Cool tirrd every body, for he know- 
etl) not himself the way to the ciiy. Then it will be up with you again : up, say they, 




23 



own way at last. ^ ^^ ^^ , ^ery often proceeds from the 

Thi. altogether can proceed, andl have no " "^ /j^^^ ^^ „uch, and as ma- 

.ant .nd.negie.t or.each.ng ^^J^^'^^y w" Is.es tt/e, 'th'at the position is true 
nv a- sim >ar lO'-tances occur, so many w'wic ^^^^ obligation be, 

^We I, if ail thi. be in any ^vay «;""f'^«^^/,7t7hi youth may be ta«sht that 
of Ttf .hose whose duty it is m part,cul»r to see to >t, th^ J J^. ^^ ^^ ^^^^ ,_ 

"vi'dom which is alter Gmiliness, and .^profitable in th.. I.le ^^ ^^.^ ^ 

Sd shocking must be »he judgment hat w II fall on ea^^ S ^^^^^^^ ^^ ^,^ t^ 

A generalevi; cannot be averted, but „ St break^m ^.^g^^. ^^^^ ^^^^ 

^:;^z:::^^:^;:^^'s^^^^^^^^ our ood. 



^ 









'>!- 


V^^ 










x^ 













-^A V^ 









V 









,^^ "^"^^ 






^^A >^^ 



^ -0-' 






/ -^c.. 



o^'" 






A<^' 






.; "^A v^' 






A^ *^^ 



^^ 






^.;V^v^ 



^^^ -^^ 



..^^ 






♦^ O- 



A' 



v\^' 



\'' < 






^X' * ^^yf:% "o % A' 



V <- 



A^^'^^. 



.■-V-' 






^ -n*-. 






...0-, ''. 












'^. A^ 



l\ 






5-' 



^^ 



>^. 



^r^" ^^^^^ 






.V 



,^^ ^ 



^l3 -^ ' / 



1- 









,0- 



^5 " 






.^^ -^^^^ 



^ -^^ 



.;■* 



*'<^. .-N^ 



^. 



'^' 



''■"If a"^' *t^' 






^0 






r 



